[Winona Online Democracy] I really liked what Dr. Bures had to say in Sunday's paper.
This is such a huge issue. It can feel like taking on world hunger. I'd like to comment on three things -- the role of the medical professionals, the role of government and starting to make changes in small ways close to home. In a grad. class I took at SMU in the early '90s we went over the history of American medicine in the early 1900s. Insurance was created by hospitals and doctors to provide better and more reliable income. Insurance companies were created by them. Today many such medical professionals feel like they are owned and controlled by those same companies of their own creation. Maybe the time has come for them to step forward (like Dr. Bures has) and start to help make real change. Gov't might be (I don't have time to research it) the biggest provider of 'insurance' in this country. In Minn. we have MCHA, Minnesota Care, General Assistance Medical Care , Medical Assistance, state and local gov't employees covered by gov't $ and rules (if not funding) of medical related things in auto insurance and workman's comp. All states have most of these in one form or another and then add all those Fed. employees and maybe even the Armed Forces. That is one heck of a lot of clout in the market and a large need to change things. The problem is obvious. The solution will not be possible unless all those nasty things about our political system can be overcome for the good of the whole rather than the good of who has the money. Our taxes go up and our insurance rates go up but our elected officials in Wash., as a whole, serve the $ and not the people. Dwayne alluded to this. It is real and I can only hope it can be overcome. There are good models out there -- like those shared on this forum. Change in small ways here at home may be a way to start things. Why can't local employers create a pool that is bigger than their own little group of employees. I think some communities have done that (Red Wing I think is one) and have included both private and public employee groups. Can the unions be convinced to join this effort locally. Could we create something that would be a model for the State. And could the State then have created a model for the nation. If you prove something works by being able to actually do it locally in a small way, it often is copied by the next higher level. Would it be possible for the Chamber to help create a community wide pool for medical coverage. That group could create choices for individuals. Could our Minn. Legislature actually put together the beginnings of a program that used the tax system to create a similar model for individuals and families to be able to afford health care and to take more responsibility for their own costs. Craig Brooks _______________________________________________ This message was posted to Winona Online Democracy All messages must be signed by the senders actual name. No commercial solicitations are allowed on this list. To manage your subscription or view the message archives, please visit http://mapnp.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/winona Any problems or suggestions can be directed to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] If you want help on how to contact elected officials, go to the Contact page at http://www.winonaonlinedemocracy.org
